Photo: New homes arriving to Denare Beach. / Courtesy of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Facebook
By Nicole Goldsworthy
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
SaskToday.ca
Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation says the first of 24 new homes for members displaced by the 2025 wildfires will begin arriving in Denare Beach on March 3.
Nation leadership confirmed the timeline, following minor construction delays that included deck pile installation and final inspections. Crews plan to move approximately one home every three days, while officials work to secure additional transport capacity to speed up deliveries.
Once placed on site, each home will require about three weeks of finishing work before families can move in. That includes insulating and dry-walling unfinished basements and completing plumbing and electrical connections as stated in the community notice.
The homes are being built for Denare Beach members who have been living in hotel accommodations since June 2025, when fast-moving wildfires forced evacuations across northern Saskatchewan.
According to the Government of Saskatchewan’s 2025 wildfire season summary, more than 400 wildfires were recorded province-wide, with thousands of residents temporarily displaced — including families from Denare Beach.
The notice said leadership acknowledged the toll the prolonged displacement has taken on families, many of whom spent the Christmas season in temporary lodging.
“A hotel is not a good place to live long term,” Coun. Clayton Sewap said. “Our people have been patient, and we understand the frustration. That’s why we worked hard to get these homes built and back to the community as soon as possible.”
Vice Chief Justin Halcrow described the construction timeline as significant, noting that completing 24 housing units within a year of a major wildfire event is uncommon.
“It is imperative that we get these houses moving to the community so families have a place to call their own,” Halcrow said. “There were winter storms and delivery challenges, but the pace of this project has been remarkable.”
He thanked Chief Peter Beatty, Gerald Hyman, director of PBCN Housing, local leadership, project managers and construction partners for what he called an unprecedented turnaround.
“It took a great deal of coordination and hard work from our housing director, council members and project partners to move this forward at this speed,” Halcrow said. “We’re grateful to everyone involved, and especially to our members for their patience and understanding.”
PBCN says a community gathering will be planned once all families have returned home.